Meanderings
by NekonoKatzen
Summary: A month after being promoted, Zero & Kizna join Erts for a random little friendly chat about the future and present.


Okay, so, this fic is a one-shot and it's not meant to be some profound writing. It is nothing more than a little random conversation between Zero, Erts, and Kizna. I guess you could say it's a character interaction piece.

And yes, the jumping from topic to topic is intentional. If you've ever listened to a few close friends randomly chatting, you'll notice that they do that quite often.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Megami Kouhosei or it's characters.

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**Meanderings (A totally pointless fanfic by Nariko)**

Zero, Erts, and Kizna stood behind the one-way window in one of GIS' private lounges, looking down upon their colleagues as they enjoyed some free time.

"I never knew First had a private rest area." Erts looked around the room which included nothing more than a table, a few chairs, and a couch. "It looks... unused."

"Well, from what we've been told, it IS unused." Kizna tapped at the Plexiglas. "It's our first time in here too, even though we've been on GIS for a month."

"So... that's Gareas? The guy your brother was in love with?" Zero pointed to the older, green haired pilot eating a snack in the lounge below.

"Zero! That is none of your..." Kizna began to scold.

"Yes. That's him." Erts answered.

"What the hell did he see in him?"

Erts smiled softly, "I'm not sure, really. He's a good person, but has no restraint in either his actions or words."

Kizna sat down at one of the tables. "Sounds like someone I know." She smirked at Zero.

"Hey! I have restraint!"

"Sure you do, Zero."

"I do, damn it!" Erts laughed, catching a somewhat insulted Zero's attention. "So... Erts... do _you _have someone you love?" He grinned.

Erts jolted at the question. "Um... well... yes..."

"Who?"

"Zero, THAT is none of your business either." Kizna gave him a pointed look.

"Hey, he's _my_ best friend and _I_ want to know this stuff." He turned his attention back to Erts, "Is it Rome?"

"No..."

"Tune?"

"No..."

"Well, who else do you talk to?"

"Er..." Erts fidgeted nervously.

"Poor Tune. No one loves her." Kizna thought out loud, changing the subject and getting a grateful look from Erts.

"Leena seems to like her." Zero sat down in the chair besides Kizna.

Erts leaned against the Plexiglas. "She does. But she's with Gareas, so..."

"Okay, wait, so... Tune loved your brother, your brother loved Gareas, Gareas loves Leena, and Leena loves Tune?" Kizna leaned back into her chair. "It's like a soap opera!"

"A soap opera?" Zero inquired.

"It's a type of melodramatic and highly unrealistic show that some people like to watch." Erts sighed. "My adoptive mother was highly addicted to them."

"Ahhh. My mother never watched anything like that." Zero thought for a moment, "Actually, I can't remember if she watched any shows at all."

"_I _was forced to watch this one soap opera when Wrecka discovered the senior lounge actually had an entertainment center." Kizna crossed her arms in front of her, obviously not thrilled with the memory. "'It'll be fun!' she said. Ha! It was corny, and lame, and I was extremely happy when they told us our free time was up."

Erts nodded. "Sounds about right. I've heard it's an ancient form of entertainment that has survived through the generations. I can't imagine _why, _though. Of all the cultural aspects that were destroyed during Lost Property, why did such an annoying one get to survive?"

"Mysteries of the Universe." Kizna bent forward and rested her head on the table. "Hmm... I wonder how much longer this war is going to go on."

Watching the other pilots again, Zero answered, "A few more months."

"Eh?" Kizna's ears perked up.

"I said it'll go on for a few more months. We have yet to reach the final pilot line-up, but that will happen soon."

"How do you know this?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Teela told me." Zero grinned.

"But Teela died."

"Only her human form died. Her natural form remains."

"Teela is a goddess?" Erts finally took a seat next to Zero.

"Yup!"

Kizna blinked at the boys. "What are you two talking about?"

"There are goddess spirits in the Ingrids. I've felt it." Erts explained. "Of course, I wouldn't have realized what the presence was if Zero hadn't mentioned it... sort of... before I left." He smiled at Zero, who smiled back.

Kizna, however, glowered at Zero "And when were you planning to inform _me _of all this?"

He shrugged off her look, "I figured you were smart enough to figure it out on your own."

"Will all the pilots be replaced? Including me?" Erts randomly asked as he looked at Zero, somewhat concerned.

"You are one of the final pilots. The others, however..." Zero leaned forward and rested his head on his fists. "...they will not be pilots for much longer."

"Ah." Erts looked down at the other pilots and their repairers, most of which were now watching Garu and Rio wrestle around. "That explains it."

"Explains what?"

"Ever since I arrived here, I couldn't help but feel that I was deliberately being distanced from the others."

Kizna tilted her head slightly. "Distanced?"

"Yes. Though, they don't make it obvious that they're doing it. Its small things like usually calling me in for practice or testing when the others are socializing." He shifted in his seat a bit. "Of course, I doubt I'd participate in such activities anyway. I much prefer to stay in my room most of the time."

"That'll change now that I'm here!" Zero nudged Erts playfully.

Erts chuckled. "Yes, I'm sure it will."

Kizna looked up at the room's clock. "Five minutes until conditioning exercises. We'd better be on our way." She got up and began heading out of the room. "Are you two coming or not?"

"Man, why do we have to still do exercises even though we're pilots?" Zero whined.

Kizna pointed at her partner. "Because they don't want people like YOU getting lazy."

"I'm_ never_ lazy!" Zero retorted, but Kizna was already gone.

"I guess we'd better go. We'll be scolded if we're late." Erts smoothed out his pants as he stood up and began walking.

Zero grabbed Erts' hand as they walked out the door to slow him down a bit. "By the way, I know who you love."

"You do?" Erts gave Zero, who was now walking beside him, a questioning look.

"It's me, right?" Zero grinned, not even glancing at Erts.

Erts' eyes widened for a moment. "... it... is. I'm _so sorry_ Zero..." He stared at the floor, dragging his feet.

Zero turned around, now walking backwards and facing Erts. "Don't worry. I don't mind!"

Erts looked up, surprised. "You... don't?"

"Nope! But... we have more important things to think about now. I want you to focus on defeating Victim." Suddenly, Zero hugged Erts. "We can think about otherstuff _after_ we win the war, alright?"

Erts smiled, "Okay!"


End file.
